Santa keeping an eye on New London

NEW LONDON — Santa Claus is coming to town. In New London, that comes on a nightly basis. Jody Davidson, a clerk at the New London Post Office, sets up a Santa mailbox each year in the lobby and answers all of the letters herself. "I get them out and answer them," Davidson said. "The most I ever got was 107. I have seven or eight so far this year. "I try to get them all done before Christmas if I can, so normally I take the box out of the lobby three or four days before Christmas." Over the years Davidson said she has seen all kinds of letters. "Two sisters asked for pajamas and coats one year," she said. "They said their mom was in jail and their grandmother was raising them. "We found out where they live and we were able to give them presents. There were three of us at the time but they are both gone now. That is my favorite story." Davidson is a lifelong New London resident. She graduated in 1990 as the former Jody Grosscup. "It is fun for me," she said. "I love it when the kids come to the window and when they see Santa's mailbox their faces just glow. They ask 'where do the letters go?' We just tell them Santa comes at night and picks them up. "I will try to contact their parents and find out some personal things about the kids so I can put in the letter. I will find out if they have a dog or a cat or what they call their grandparents." Davidson, who has worked almost 27 years for the post office, has five step-children and seven grandkids.